This largely forgotten Keanu Reeves film is one of the Matrix star’s most disturbing roles.

In the galaxy of authors most often adapted for the screen, Philip K. Dick is definitely the pick of the bunch. Thus, there are almost twenty adaptations of short stories or novels on the big screen; Including more series. adaptations with more or less happiness elsewhere.

Absolute and definitive masterpieces like Blade Runner or the pretty solid Minority Report and Total Recall are contrasted with adaptations like Next or Paycheck, which didn’t quite shine in the 7th art world… Scanner Darkly, released in 2006 and directed by Richard Linklater, undoubtedly , is the upper part of the basket.

It was published in 1977 in the United States and a year later in France dead matter, Scanner Darkly It is one of K. Dick’s masterpieces. The author also dedicated it to his former friends, drug addicts, the dead or the scars of this era. A deeply personal book, largely autobiographical, it depicts a chilling America.

Time: the near future. Place: American suburbs. Story ? A twisted and funny story about a group of friends who are addicted to substance D. Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder and Rory Cochrane play these stoned friends who are scared to death of each other and the spies. Keanu Reeves plays a spy who is also part of the gang. Until his two personalities split…

Of the references that come to mind of Keanu Reeves in sci-fi films, the most obvious is of course the Matrix saga. never or very little Scanner DarklyIn which he still proves to be excellent as the character of Bob Arctor.

“I love Keanu. I thought about him years ago to see if he was available. I think he was in the middle of filming The Matrix at the time and didn’t want to do sci-fi again. So I tried. Back in 2004, I really wanted him as Bob Arctor!” Linklater said while filming. “When working on my character, I worked with Richard to find the right resonance for each role, physically, emotionally, mentally. I really relied on the book.” In turn, the actor explained.

The project passed from hand to hand

Initially, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, John Malkovich’s Skin) began working with Philip K. Dick’s adaptation of this story before the project changed to move to the early 90s. From filmmaker Terry Gilliam. The latter also thought of adapting this story into a movie. In the end, it is Richard Linklater (boy) who (well) took the project in hand.

An additional originality of the work is that it was animated from real footage using the rotoscoping technique. Animators use Rotoshop software from Linklater to draw characters and sets. way of transmission cell shading amazing

“We actually made two movies” explained producer Tommy Pallotta. “We wrote the script, cast, shot and edited it like a classic piece of fiction. Then, with a lot of post-production work, we turned it into an animated film.” A job that will take at least 18 months, where the team thought it would take nine…

Philip K. Dick’s book is more relevant than ever. In an age of mass surveillance capitalism, where technology controls and dominates everything, even our emotions, the work is definitely no longer in the realm of science fiction.

Sometimes funny, often disturbing and fascinating, Linklater’s film is the perfect sequel and remains one of Keanu Reeves’ best films. Its colossal drop at the worldwide box office at the time, with less than $8 million at the box office, was a cruel injustice. It’s up to you to fix it!